Where's best to live - horse wise?

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sloulou

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Am sure has been asked before - but wondering whether all you with experience of horsey places across the UK (and further!) might be able to tell me what's good about keeping horses in your area... (lots of horsey people/ events/ good riding etc.)

sparked by my OH saying that he had been looking at places we could live in Surrey, North Kent, Oxfordshire, Essex, hertfordshire and buckinghamshire... not too much variation then
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I have no connection to any of these places - only know Suffolk - and Edinburgh (which I love - but is too far to communte to London!)

thank you!
 
I think as long as it is resonably rural, both Kent and Essex are ok.

North Kent - as in Dartford kind of way?

I live i subarbia at the mo in Essex and it's crap
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Can't comment on the others though.
 
I'm in Surrey - think you could say it's fairly horsey. Around me the riding isn't that fantastic but there's lots of events and venues and things going on.
Have to say though it certainly isn't the cheapest place to keep a horse!
 
Definitely not Surrey, unless you have a healthy bank balance or a very understanding bank manager who lies giving you loans….

The only decent show centre is Merrist Wood and that is the coldest place on earth…you have to travel out of county for any others…I HATE IT! I would move if I could!

Thank and you do get the Surrey Darlings with more money than sense….alot of keeping up with the joneses, livery costs a bucket load, as does everything really.

MOAN MOAN MOAN – I love it really!
 
I thought Surrey might be a bit pricey!
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I'm quite taken with the idea of Essex (being a suffolk/ east london kind of girl) - but he is desperate to live in an oxfordshire direction!

Who knows where he looked in North Kent - I guess Dartford way - but that isn't very rural, is it?
 
I live Guildford, Surrey very horsey with Merrist Wood round the corner.......always lot's of shows,events,clinics etc happening somewhere on the outskirts......and easy to London!....but property is not cheap
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....see we our a county town and all that, with cobbled streets ,but very horsey!!
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Depends what you do with your horse(s) really,

can only comment from a competitive point of view but I would guess for:
Eventing - Oxfordshire or Bucks - easier access to more of the country
SJ/Dr - look up the major show centres/venues and choose a county that has a few good venues.

I used to live in Berks which was pretty good for eventing but, looking back, was cr@p for SJ/Dr.
Am now in Hampshire and it's great for Dr/SJ as there are 4/5 good venues within 20-60 minutes drive but not so good for event locations.
 
Excuse me darling!
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....then there is "bored Housewife syndrome"(well known in Surrey to much money and total bored)....No darling you would not want to live here!!!!!!!!!!
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Oxfordshire is cool, not too expensive, especially out to the west, and in that area there are plenty of yards and a reasonable bridleways network. there are local shows and events including fun rides, Hunter Trials, Team Chasing, Point to Points and of course it is convenient for Blenheim (and Badminton is striking distance)! To the south you are close to racing country.

also transport links are good with the A40/M40 and rail links from Banbury/Oxford/ Bicester/Charlbury/Kingham/Long Hanborough
 
Oxfordshire good then?

He is really trying to persuade me for Oxfordshire - but seems so far from all my friends and family... The horse thing may swing it!

Eventing is what I love - although been out of it for a while - but hopefully making a reappearance this year
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so would be good to be in eventing type area!
 
Chelmsford area has lots of riding, not that many major comps but lots of local little events. Surrey/ sussex border is good - Oldencarig, Felbridge, Ardingly, Golden Cross, Crockstead, Royal Leisure, Pyecombe, Tweseldown, Ipping, Firle. It is pricey the closer you get to London IMO.
 
If I could choose somewhere to live Oxfordshire would be near the top of my list. Try to find somewhere with good access to the M40 as the main thing lacking in oxfordshire is very close show centers, unless you count Blewbury/Malhouse, but tbh they are a bit grim!
 
Sussex is nice - being a bit further away from London it is not quite so pricey as places like Surrey - East Sussex usually cheaper than West Sussex. A bit more proper countryside down this way too - rather than the semi-rural areas on the outskirts of London. Personally we have very good hacking, but much depends on the precise area you live in - good idea to check out OS maps for best areas for bridleways etc. Reasonable for competition venues such as Golden Cross, Crockstead etc. (Though I think Golden Cross can compete with Merrist Wood for the coldest venue in the country
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I agree we are lacking good show centres but are central enough to travel to many slightly further afield..but there are so many local events (I forgot to mention Great Tew and Crown Farm who are going on to the eventing calender) that the lack of a show centre is not a huge problem
 
With experience of surrey, oxon, essex and kent i think surrey was the nicest (i was near the pirbright ranges so hacking was great) but i have family ties so it's always had a place in my heart. i now live in kent (maidstone/staplehurst) which is cheaper than sevenoaks but not as nice (was near sevenoaks last year). depends on your budget and where you need to be for work. kent and essex are probably the cheapest depending on how far you are from london.
 
Well the commuting wouldn't really be for me so much (reckon I would try to find job nearby) - but for OH and he travels all over the place - but main office near blackfriars/ waterloo...

Sevenoaks might be nice - but prob bit too expensive...
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I like kent tho... and have a few friends who live there...

am warming to oxfordshire - sounds a good horsey bet!
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Waterloo is a pain because you have to cross London to get to it (OH has to go to meetings at his office there sometimes), but is certainly do-able.

you need to go out on a recce - and meet the Oxforshire crowd!
 
I thoroughly recommend the Scottish Borders! More horses per head of population than anywhere else in Scotland.

Definitely a brilliant area to live in if you BE, but not so great if you want to BSJA.

But still a bit too far to comute from London.....
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Bath is good. We have West wilts, The Hand, Badgworth, Summerhouse, Rockhampton, Wales & West, Dorset Showground, Wick house all under an hourish from us for BSJA and Dressage.

For BE you have Stonar, West Wilts, Bath & West, Charlton Park, Belmont, Gatcombe and if your quite good Badminton.

It's also got a good road system
 
If the goal is a decent commute into London, and a decent horsey area too, then you can't go far wrong with Sussex. Anywhere down the M23 / A23 corridor (bordering East and West Sussex) is ideal. Dozens of good competition centres within 1 hour. Easy access to the motorway network and thus other comp centres in Kent, Essex, Surrey etc. As for the commute into London....well, 40 minutes from Brighton, and less the nearer to London you live. You've got the downs to ride on, and loads of horsey countryside all around. It's not too expensive either.....for the south-east anyway
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I live in oxfordshire and have easy access (within an hour) to most events.

My yard is 5 minutes from J9 M40 and litterally 2 minutes from A34 so I am in close prox to the South or Midlands.

We have a number of horse trials, Upton, Aston le Walls, Milton Keynes, Holdenby, Solihull, Great Tew, Goring Heath, Hambledon all within an hour the latter 3 all in Oxfordshire and with Ascot Under wychwood being a new venue. Dont forget Blenheim too! Badminton, Gatcombe and Barbury Horse Trials are also only just over an hour away!
There is also West, South, North Oxfordshire Riding Clubs, plus Buckingham who were great.
Addington is only 40 mins from me and they hold BSJA, BD, Eventing days and Clear round SJing throughout the year. Milton Keynes is 50 minutes away, Isis Dressage Group, Bicester and Finmere Show, Team Chasing, Hunting you name it we have it all
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Me likes living in Oxfordshire lol
 
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Rambo - haven't really looked at Sussex... but sounds worth visiting to see. Have been to Brieghton for weekend - but not much else that way!

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Not much else to see down this way tbh....which is what makes it so nice
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West Sussex north of the A27 is good - excellent hacking, more yards that side.

South of A27 - you have got west wittering beach

Events wise - Hickstead, Oldencraig, Yately, Iping, Tweseldown, Stilemans/Munstead, Mattingley, Golden Cross etc - all are reachable
 
If you need access to Waterloo why not consider Mid to North Hampshire.
Direct line into Waterloo
You have Medstead/Merrist Wood/Sparsholt/Quob/Wellington/Crofton Manor/Frensham/East Soley all close for SJ/Dr and Yately in the summer

For XC schooling Tweseldown and Hoplands are super facilities

Events at Mattingly/Tweseldown/Munstead/Stilemans/Brockenhurst/Merrist Wood/Somerley/Highclere/larkhill are pretty local and Berks college/Burnham Beeches/Goring heath/West Wilts/Charlton Park/Cheltenham/Iping all do-able
 
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